The Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) honored Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin and GPEC Board Director Andy Warren, president of Maracay Homes, at its annual dinner.
Speaker Tobin was awarded GPEC’s Outstanding Regional Contribution award for his successful legislative efforts to help increase Arizona’s economic competitiveness, particularly with this year’s passage and enactment of HB2815, the Qualified Facilities Tax Credit and 2011’s HB2001, the Arizona Competitiveness Package. HB2815 expanded the Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program to other export-based manufacturers and lowered long-term capital gains taxes. HB2001 created the Quality Jobs Program, reduced corporate income taxes and increased the state’s Research and Development tax credit, among many other accomplishments.
“Speaker Tobin moved the ball forward enormously with the Qualified Facilities Tax Credit, which single-handedly raised Arizona’s competitiveness ranking from last to fourth,” said GPEC President and CEO Barry Broome. “This $630 million program is the most aggressive investment tax credit in the country – a game-changer for the region’s economic development prospects. I’m very grateful to Speaker Tobin for his leadership both at the legislature and within the economic development community.”
Warren received the Distinguished Service Award for his leadership in spearheading GPEC’s resource development efforts, including a new focus on multi-year commitments. He was successful in securing 50 percent of private investments for the next three-to-five years, helping to ensure a continued sustainability with GPEC’s key strategic initiatives in the international, science, technology and innovation sectors.
“In the span of just a few years, Andy has catapulted from a Valley newcomer to an exemplary community leader,” Broome said. “His work on GPEC’s resource development efforts has been successful largely because of his enthusiasm and commitment to the work we do diversifying the region’s economy and creating sustainable job growth.”
The dinner, GPEC’s premier annual event, celebrated GPEC’s success in the 2012 fiscal year, including a new record of 36 companies expanding or relocating to the region – the most ever in the organization’s 23-year history. This exceeds last year’s record-breaking 31
companies, making fiscal years 2011 and 2012 the best two years in terms of companies assisted since GPEC’s inception. This year’s dinner was sold out with an all-time high attendance of nearly 600.
“GPEC is proud to recognize Speaker Tobin and Andy Warren as two extraordinary leaders in the Greater Phoenix community,” said Jim Lundy, CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona and GPEC’s new board chairman. “Both men have done tremendous jobs to cultivate economic growth and further GPEC’s mission and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.”
For more details about GPEC’s successes in FY12, visit www.gpecannualreport2012.com.
